Stacking Stones​A Creative Craft Blog

From the mind of Jason Kapcala comes an eclectic journal dedicated to the study of creative writing, rock music, tailgating, and other miscellany. The musings, meditations, contemplations, and ruminations expressed here are my own unless otherwise indicated. Please feel free to share your comments, thoughts, and opinions, but do so respectfully and intelligently.

"Respect" -- Aretha Franklin (1967)

Aretha.

It's one of those names (like Elvis) that's so iconic, you don't even need a surname. Every soul singer, from Patty Labelle to Whitney Houston to Beyonce sings in the shadow of the queen. Franklin seems to recognize this and, as she's grown older and perhaps a might less secure, she's become more of a diva than ever. As such, it's more fun to remember young Aretha, with her powerhouse voice--a church choir unto itself--and her unrivaled sassiness.

"Respect" is in many ways Aretha's signature song. It highlights not only her iconic voice but also her take-no-prisoners attitude, making it a landmark for feminism. Ranked by Rolling Stone as the 5th best song of all time, it's easy to forget that this is actually a cover song. Otis Redding wrote it and performed it first, and while Redding's version was successful, hitting #35 on the charts before his death in 1967, it is Aretha's version that we all remember. (It reached #1 in 1967 and stayed there for three months; it has also since been added to the Library of Congress's National Registry.)

Even Redding recognized which version was standard-bearer. A big fan of Franklin's cover, at the 1967 Monterey Pop Festival, he jokingly introduced the song as "the song that a girl took away from me, a friend of mine, this girl she just took this song." And she made it her own.

The two versions differ significantly in story and sound--Redding's song is a plea from a desperate and downtrodden man; Franklin's demand made by a confident and empowered woman who isn't about to settle for a raw deal. (Redding's "respect" may also be a sexual euphemism, whereas Franklin's is more likely literal.) That said, that doesn't mean there aren't hints toward sexual liberation in the Franklin version. It was Franklin's idea to cover the song (most likely she was inspired by her own rocky marriage at the time), she came up with the arrangement, and played piano on the track with her sisters Carolyn and Erma singing backup; she also added the "Sock it to me" lines, which according to producer Jerry Wexler mean exactly what they sound like: "The fervor in Aretha's voice demanded that respect; and more respect also involved sexual attention of the highest order. What else would 'sock it to me' mean?"

Franklin's cover also introduced other expressions to both the popular American lexicon and (later) hip-hop culture, as well--like "T.C.B." (or "taking care of business," which later became one of Elvis's favorite mottoes--he emblazoned it across the side of his private jet plane) and "props" (in the context of "proper respect").

In my opinion, while the cultural impact of this track is fascinating, the most important thing to recognize is that this is just plain fantastic music. If it doesn't get you up on your feet, then you may need to get your pulse checked. As the title suggests, this is one performance and one artist that deserves our greatest respect.

Love the song? Hate it? Have thoughts to share? Please, feel free to leave a message in the comments below. And, if you would like to write a Guest Entry for the "Saturday Morning Soundtrack" series where you creatively respond to one of your favorite rock songs, don't hesitate to contact mewith queries.